ABSTRACT
Introduction: Modern lifestyle, busy work schedule, lackof exercise, more expectancy generates stress in human life.Stress is a crucial factor in origin of diseases. Stress leads toautonomic imbalance. Yoga has very positive effects on stress.Yoga is now widely used for prevention and treatment ofvarious disorders and to achieve the physical, Physiological,Psychological, spiritual and social well being of the person.So this study is planned to see the effects of yoga on healthysubjects as an important preventive measure to remain awayfrom diseases. The present study was undertaken to showthe various effects of selective yogasana and pranayama oncardiac autonomic functions in healthy subjects between agegroup 31 to 60 years.Material and Methods: The subjects fulfilling the inclusioncriteria underwent the yogasana and pranayama sessions.Anthropometric data was collected. The cardiovascular statusof 45 healthy subjects was assessed by cardiac autonomicfunction tests before the start of and after 3 months ofyogasanaand pranayama practice daily for one hour. Theinstruments Diabetic Risk Profiler by Genesis HealthcareSystem Hydrabad, Handgrip dynamometer, digital bloodpressure apparatus, cold water tub were used. The testsconducted were resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, deepbreathing test(E/I ratio), orthostatic heart rate response (30/15ratio), valsalva ratio, sustained handgrip test, cold pressor testand blood pressure response to standing.Results: After yogasana and pranayama for three monthssignificant reduction in resting HR, SBP and DBP were found.Mean resting heart rate (HR) was decreased from 77.04/minto 71.38/min, mean SBP from 121mmHg to 117.51 mmHgand mean DBP from 83.42mmHg to 79.91mmHg. There wassignificant increase in parasympathetic reactivity parameterslike orthostatic HRR from 1.12 to 1.50, Deep breathing from1.20 to 1.52 and valsalva ratio from 1.24 to 1.67. There wassignificant decrease in sympathetic reactivity variables likesustained HGT Difference of diastolic BP (∆DBP) from 11.40to 7.73 mmHg, cold pressor test ∆DBP 11.67 to 7.71mmHgand BP response to standing Difference of systolic BP (∆SBP)from 10.71 to7.64 mmHg. There were no statistical significantchange observed in anthropometric parameters like body massindex (BMI) from 24.12 to 23.28 and waist hip ratio(WHR)from 0.87 to 0.85.Conclusion: It can be concluded that yogasana and pranayamahas beneficial effects on cardiac autonomic activities andreactivity. This lifestyle should be followed regularly as apreventive measure by the persons with cardiac diseasesto get relief and also healthy persons to remain away fromcardiovascular problems.